A main crucible of molten semiconductor is replenished from a supply crucible maintained such that there are always two phases of solid and liquid semiconductor within the supply crucible. Heat added to melt the solid material results in the solid material changing phase to liquid, but will not result in any significant elevation in temperature of the liquid within the supply crucible. The temperature excursions are advantageously small, being less than that which would cause problems with the formed product. The solid product material acts as a sort of temperature buffer, to maintain the supply liquid temperature automatically and passively at or very near to the phase transition temperature. For silicon, excursions are kept to less than 90 C., and even as small as 50 C. The methods also are useful with germanium. Prior art silicon methods that entirely melt the semiconductor experience excursions exceeding 100 C.

A method for producing a heat-resistant roll, and a roll produced by the method, the method including: fabricating a roll part comprising 5 wt % or more of a clay mineral; grinding the roll surface of the roll part; conducting a surface treatment in which the ground roll surface is smoothed in a moisturized state; and forming a coating film of a clay mineral on the surface-treated roll surface.

A product conveyance apparatus includes an actuator, a movement portion, a first position detection portion, a second position detection portion, and a controller. The controller performs a process of causing the actuator not holding a product to move to a predetermined position, detecting the position of the actuator and storing the position as a first position, a process of causing the actuator to move on a basis of a movement instruction value and hold the product, causing the actuator holding the product to move to the predetermined position, detecting the position of the product held by the actuator, and storing the position as a second position, and a process of correcting and updating the movement instruction value on a basis of difference between the first position and the second position.

A product conveyance apparatus includes an actuator, a movement portion, a first position detection portion, a second position detection portion, and a controller. The controller performs a process of causing the actuator not holding a product to move to a predetermined position, detecting the position of the actuator and storing the position as a first position, a process of causing the actuator to move on a basis of a movement instruction value and hold the product, causing the actuator holding the product to move to the predetermined position, detecting the position of the product held by the actuator, and storing the position as a second position, and a process of correcting and updating the movement instruction value on a basis of difference between the first position and the second position.

An apparatus and method for guiding a glass substrate positioned in a vertical orientation into a downstream process. A pair of guide arms move with the glass substrate and constrain lateral movement of an otherwise unsupported bottom edge of the glass substrate. Sensors sense a position of the glass substrate, while a controller calculates a speed of the glass substrate in a conveyance direction and positions the guide arms.

An apparatus and method for guiding a glass substrate positioned in a vertical orientation into a downstream process. A pair of guide arms move with the glass substrate and constrain lateral movement of an otherwise unsupported bottom edge of the glass substrate. Sensors sense a position of the glass substrate, while a controller calculates a speed of the glass substrate in a conveyance direction and positions the guide arms.

A manufacturing method of a large-outer-diameter quartz crucible for a Czochralski (CZ) single crystal is provided. The manufacturing method is a vacuum arc method, and specifically includes: releasing a high-temperature arc with an electrode bundle composed of 2N+1 electrodes to fuse a crucible blank, and performing rapid cooling to form an initial quartz crucible product, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2; the 2N+1 electrodes include one central main electrode and 2N auxiliary electrodes; the 2N auxiliary electrodes are equidistantly distributed on a circumference with the central main electrode as a center; the central main electrode is aligned at an axis of the crucible mold; the 2N auxiliary electrodes are connected to two phases of an industrial three-phase power, and the two phases are alternately arranged on the auxiliary electrodes; the central main electrode is connected to a remaining phase of the industrial three-phase power.

A manufacturing method of a large-outer-diameter quartz crucible for a Czochralski (CZ) single crystal is provided. The manufacturing method is a vacuum arc method, and specifically includes: releasing a high-temperature arc with an electrode bundle composed of 2N+1 electrodes to fuse a crucible blank, and performing rapid cooling to form an initial quartz crucible product, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2; the 2N+1 electrodes include one central main electrode and 2N auxiliary electrodes; the 2N auxiliary electrodes are equidistantly distributed on a circumference with the central main electrode as a center; the central main electrode is aligned at an axis of the crucible mold; the 2N auxiliary electrodes are connected to two phases of an industrial three-phase power, and the two phases are alternately arranged on the auxiliary electrodes; the central main electrode is connected to a remaining phase of the industrial three-phase power.

A workpiece conveyance apparatus having: a conveyance path on which the workpiece moves; a gas flotation section that gas-floats the workpiece over the conveyance path; a movable holding section that holds the workpiece to move on the conveyance path along with the workpiece; and a treatment region conveyance path that is located on the conveyance path, and has a treatment region where predetermined treatment for the workpiece is performed, wherein the movable holding section has at least two or more holding sections along a movement direction of the conveyance path, each of the holding sections is capable of switching between release of holding and holding for the workpiece during movement of the workpiece, operation for releasing holding of the workpiece by the holding section on the treatment region conveyance path, and holding the workpiece on the conveyance path other than the treatment region conveyance path.

Provided is a production method for an optical laminate, which is excellent in production efficiency even through use of a thin glass. The production method for an optical laminate includes: a thin glass production step of producing a thin glass having a thickness of 100 ?m or less; and a lamination step of laminating an optical film on one surface, or each of both surfaces, of the thin glass, the thin glass production step and the lamination step being performed in an integrated line, the lamination step including applying an adhesive onto the optical film to form an application layer, and bonding the thin glass and the optical film through intermediation of the application layer, followed by curing the adhesive to form an adhesive layer between the optical film and the thin glass.